Nobara Aiko “Akiyama-kun 3″

I unfortunately don’t have much time to be around this weekend but I figured I could still do a quick write-up about the latest Akiyama-kun installment. Nobara Aiko released it during FuyuComi iirc but I didn’t get my copy until the beginning of this week because I initially kept putting off buying it, and then I kept putting off shipping it. orz;;

It’s a fairly short book and picks up where the tankoubon release left off. It’s also not too plot-heavy—most of the book revolves around Akiyama and Shiba out shopping and hanging around for Akiyama’s birthday. Though there is the added existence of Akiyama’s parents.

The book starts out with Shiba getting his test scored back, showing he just barely passed. Akiyama makes fun of him for worrying so much about it, saying that with how much Shiba was freaking out he was expecting scored in the 10s and 20s. Shiba is just satisfied that he won’t have to retake all his tests, but he’s even happier to see Akiyama shyly wearing the ring Shiba gave him as a gift in the final chapter of the official book.

The two go and get purikura together, messing around adorably in the booth. But then when they leave Akiyama gets a call from his father, saying he wants to meet up the next day. Shiba is surprised to hear Akiyama speak to or about his parents, and is a bit distraught that Akiyama is more annoyed than pleased that his parents will be coming to see him. To Akiyama, his parents don’t care about his existence—they throw money at him and meet with him just to make sure he’s not dead yet. Shiba, coming from a household of just a mother, feels that even just giving Akiyama money and checking in on him once in a while shows they at least care a little so he wishes Akiyama would feel more loved by them.

The two spend Akiyama’s birthday evening together and make love. The book ends with Shiba holding a sleeping Akiyama close to his chest, silently wishing Akiyama can become closer to his parents and his friends and everyone who seems to have abandoned him.

Well… there’s also a little Tomomi-chan fanservice. :9

uuuuu Tomomi-chan fanservice is such a tease. orz;;;;; It’ll probably never happen but I dream of a day an actual book about Tomomi is released.

Anyway it’s a short but sweet chapter! Even though there wasn’t necessarily much relationship development between Shiba and Akiyama (I really wish Shiba would start to become less awkward around Akiyama ahhhh even though I suppose that it one of his moe points) it was still really satisfying. This couple is still really sweet and I am very excited by the fact that Nobara Aiko ended the book with “to be continued…” as that means there’s still more of their story to come.

6 responses to “Nobara Aiko “Akiyama-kun 3″”

I’m not at home so I can’t check, but I’m pretty sure it’s in the initial volume. It’s just under a different chapter name. This book starts where the final chapter of the official collected version leaves off, with Shiba worrying about his grades, Akiyama’s ring, etc.

yeah, it doesn’t seem like she put it up in any online shops and it’s probably not old/popular enough to be second-hand yet. I had to buy it off yahoo japan auctions, unfortunately, so I got gouged pretty bad for it after it getting bid up and then me having to use a deputy service.

but she’ll probably bundle it in another volume, if she really does plan on continuing Akiyama-kun! It was a very popular release, so I can’t see Baby refusing to help her get a second volume out there.